After a morning of urban cycling, we choose a shaded, open-air balcony table at Romita Comedor and each order a beer, tequila, and sangrita, then discuss Mexico City's prospects with Michael Parker-Stainback, a U.S.–born journalist, translator, and the author of the Mexico City Stylemap and TimeOut Mexico City guides. To accompany our beverage trio, we order tortas, panuchos, and creamy avocado soup.
“I feel this city is at an amazing point in its history,” Parker-Stainback tells me. It is “young, full of energy, and the food is fresh,” he says. “It’s also a little formal. There is a lot of ‘good morning,’ ‘good afternoon,’ and ‘si señor.’ It’s a very friendly, creative place.”
I nod my head as I chew, then signal the waiter for another round. It is about 3:00 p.m., and he informs us that there is a reservation at our table at 7:00, when we'll have to leave. That tells you something about the dining culture of D.F.—there is plenty of time to sit, talk, relax, and watch the people of the Roma Norte district walk by on the sidewalk below.

Romita comedor doubles as a traditional eatery and a bar for night revelers. During the day, it offers traditional Mexican cuisine, such as tortilla soup, mole or corundas (a triangular tamal) with green salsa. At night, cosmos, negronis, mojitos and caipirinhas are on the menu. Throw a spectacular view and great DJing into the mix and you’ve got the perfect place.